Sudhir's girl gets 8-hour successful surgery

By John Agaba

Seven-year-old Gloria Kyakuwaire, the primary one pupil from Mayuge district who had an abnormal growth of tissue in her right eye, has successfully been operated on.

She is in stable condition and improving after having a successful surgical procedure to correct the abnormal condition at the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services (CoRSU) Hospital on Entebbe Road on Wednesday.

Kyakuwaire was monitored in the recovery room for about 30 minutes — after an eight-hour surgery.

The doctors said she was in a stable condition and would be allowed visitors after Friday.  

New Vision online carried Gloria Kyakuwaire’s rather painful story on December 18. Luckily, it caught many people’s eyes and hearts, who sympathized with the little girl.

  Gloria Kyakuwaire receiving treatment after a successful surgery to remove an abnormal growth  tissue in her right eye at the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services (CoRSU) Hospital Kisubi on May 15, 2015. Photo/Tony Rujuta.

Kampala tycoon Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia and wife Jyotsna offered to take care of the girl’s medical expenses and other operational costs.

Along with the treatment, Jyotsna said the Ruparelia Foundation would take care of the girl’s education.

'I am happy'

Since the offer, at Dr. Sudhir’s office at Crane Chambers on Kampala Road, the little girl had been undergoing various tests to ascertain whether her condition could be corrected here (in Uganda) or not.

The successful surgery at CoRSU (along Entebbe road) was conducted by a team of four medical experts.

Her father, Steven Naita, said: “I don’t know what to say. But, I am happy. I only hope that she will now be fine, and that thing [abnormal swelling] will not resurface.”

Kyakuwaire, who studies at St. Matia Mulumba Primary School in Bukabooli sub-county, Mayuge district, was born with a swelling on her right eye.

'Calling me names'

According to her father, the swelling kept growing and threatened to cover the whole of her nose and mouth, making it difficult for the little girl to see, let alone to associate.

In the story Kyakuwaire narrated to New Vision, she spoke of how the swelling was growing rapidly and had several openings which, at times, oozed blood and pus.

She said she had found it difficult to attend school whenever the swelling started oozing (the blood and pus).

“At times it [the skin around the affected area] peels off. And when it does, no pupil at school wants to associate with me. Some start laughing at me and calling me names."

It was this pain that the little girl was going through that moved Dr. Sudhir and wife. 

The tycoon said then:  “As humans, the least we can do is to give. When my wife and I read the story in the newspaper, she said: "look, look at this girl. She is in pain. We have to do something, so she can live a normal life.”

Hopefully, the little girl will not get any setbacks, and she will live a “normal life”, like Sudhir and wife intend for her.


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